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University High School, Melbourne

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Coordinates: 37°47′50″S 144°57′19″E / 37.79722°S 144.95528°E / -37.79722; 144.95528
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The University High School
the North Building of The University High School
Location
Map
77 Story Street, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria

Australia
Coordinates37°47′50″S 144°57′19″E / 37.79722°S 144.95528°E / -37.79722; 144.95528
Information
TypeGovernment-funded co-educational secondary day school
MottoLatin: Strenue Ac Fideliter
(With Zeal and Loyalty)
Established1910; 114 years ago (1910)[1]
PrincipalCiar Foster
Years7–12
Enrolment1,708 (2022)[2]
Houses  Coleman
  Gulam
  Johnston
  Triggs
Colour(s)Green, white and tan    
Websitewww.unihigh.vic.edu.au
Map

The University High School (abbreviated as UHS or Uni High) is a government-funded co-educational secondary day school, located in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville, Victoria, Australia. As of 2022, 1,708 students attended the school.[2] In 2023, it was ranked 67th in Victoria[3] (or 13th in Victorian public schools) by percentage of VCE study scores of 40 or above.[4]

History

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In 1910, the "University Practising School" was opened in a former primary school on the corner of Lygon and Lytton Streets, Carlton. In 1913, it changed its name to "The University High School" after the closure of the older private school. Since 1930, the school has occupied a site in Story Street, Parkville, adjacent to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and in close proximity to the Royal Children's Hospital, newly built Royal Women's Hospital, the University of Melbourne and the Central Business District.

During World War II, the United States Army set up a camp on the school oval. Additionally, 240 extra students from MacRobertson Girls High School transported to UHS for schooling as their buildings were also seized by the military.[citation needed]

The school has been a pioneer in the education of gifted and talented students in Australia. Its acceleration program for gifted and talented students, which began in 1981, is the longest running and most stable program of its kind in Australia.[5][6][7][8]

An A$8 million upgrade of the school facilities was completed in 1997. The school experienced major disruption and change during the previous years through dislocation of classes and staff. The completion of the works has given the school modern facilities with appropriate specialist rooms.[citation needed]

During the 2020/21 school holidays, an electrical fire consumed much of the south building, destroying the second (600s) and third (700s) floors of the building as well as damaging the first (Library, 500s) and fourth (VCE Center) floors. Another fire also occurred in the Elizabeth Blackburn Science School building in March 2022.[2] The VCE Center, 600s rooms and the library reopened at the beginning of the last quarter of the year with a new refurbished design whilst the second floor (700s) reopened at the end of 2023.[citation needed]

Academics

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VCE studies offered by the school:[9]

  • Accounting
  • Algorithmics (HESS) (2022)
  • Art: Making & Exhibiting
  • Australian and Global Politics
  • Australian Politics
  • Biology
  • Business Management
  • Chemistry
  • Economics
  • English
  • English (EAL)
  • English Language Extended Investigation
  • French
  • Further Mathematics
  • General Mathematics
  • German
  • Global Politics
  • Health and Human Development
  • History: 20th Century (1900–1945)
  • History: 20th Century (since 1945)
  • History: Revolutions
  • Information Technology
  • Latin
  • Legal Studies
  • Literature
  • Mathematical Methods (CAS)
  • Media
  • Music Inquiry
  • Outdoor and Environmental Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Education
  • Physics
  • Product Design and Technology
  • Psychology
  • Specialist Mathematics
  • Theatre Studies
  • Visual Communication Design

The University High School was ranked in the top 200 public secondary schools in Australia based on academic results in 2009.[10]

In 2014, 17 students scored an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank above 99 and 130 students, or 61 per cent of the year, scored above 80.[11]

University High School was ranked number 70 out of all state secondary schools in Victoria based on VCE results in 2021.[12]

House structure

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The school has four different houses also known as sub-schools. They each have their own distinct colour and are named after the school's alumni. They are:[13]

Campus

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The University High School is divided into eleven areas: West, North, South, Art/Tech, Music, Hall, Canteen/Gymnasium, EBS, GTAC and the portables.

University High School students in a history class, 1930s

The North Building was constructed in 1930 during the Great Depression. Because of this, no additional facilities were constructed and therefore assemblies were held in other venues.[citation needed] The North Building is connected with the West and Music wings. The north building has three levels, and contains the rooms numbered 100 through 405. The first floor (100s) holds the main entrance to the school as well as most administrative facilities. Inside the main foyer one can see a collection of photographs commemorating pupils and teachers from the school who were killed in the First World War. Also many plaques are hanging from the walls that honour achievements made by students and state principals and other important administrative roles. There are many banners that show sports achievements, as well as sub-school names that recognise past principals. The 100s also contain the English Office, General Office, Performance Center, food technology classrooms, general classrooms and the student services counter. Minor renovations were made to the bottom floor of the North Building to construct a food technology classroom and kitchen. The second floor (200s) consists of the junior science laboratories, well-being rooms, the Science Office, the Well-being Office and the sub-school offices. The third floor (300s) contains the Maths Office, the LOTE Office, the computer classrooms, mathematics classrooms, LOTE classrooms and English classrooms. The 400s are part of an extension of the third floor and consists of EAL classrooms which are converted into praying rooms during specific times.[citation needed]

Portraits of students who served in WWI and banners of the former school houses on display

The West Wing is the smallest of the buildings, but is conjoined with the Music Wing. The west wing features many lockers, mainly for the younger students (Year 7–8) as well as English/Humanities classrooms. The Music Wing was developed, planned, constructed and funded by ex-students and ex-teachers, including Stella Langford and Jim Economo. The Music Wing consists of music classrooms, composition classrooms, practice rooms and the Music Office. Rooms in the West and Music wings are numbered as part of the 100s and 200s as they are connected to the North Building. A series of building works were undertaken from 2010 to 2014. In 2011, the West Wing was gutted and the interior was completely rebuilt, allowing for more classroom space.[citation needed]

The Sharman Hall serves as the school's hall. The hall is used for school assemblies and performances. The Sharman Hall is attached to the Canteen/Gymnasium building. The canteen floor has the school canteen as well as indoor seatings and lockers. Rooms located within the canteen are numbered as part of the 100s. Above the canteen is the school gymnasium which holds the Sports Office. An extension of the canteen was completed in the last quarter of 2006 which connected it with the M.S. Sharman Hall.[citation needed]

The South Building is the next largest building containing the Library and VCE Centre. The building consists of four levels with rooms numbered from 500 through 724 and VCE1 through VCE5. The first floor (500s) contain the library as well as lockers. The second floor (600s) contain the Humanities Office as well as humanities classrooms. The third floor (700s) contains the senior science laboratories, general classrooms and lockers. In late 2009 the school unveiled a new bridge linking the North and South Buildings from the west-end of the 700s corridor (South Building) to the centre of the 300s corridor (North Building). As of 2023, the third level (700s rooms) is closed due to fire damage sustained during the 2020/21 school holidays.[citation needed] A fourth level extension to the South Wing was completed early in 2007 and was named the VCE Centre. The extension was made for VCE students. It has classrooms specifically for VCE students and the VCE Sub-school Offices are located in the centre.[citation needed]

The Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) was opened for use in early 2004 by staff and students from across the state. This allows students from throughout Victoria to have direct exposure to research in the genetics field. The GTAC building consists of science and research laboratories as well as the school's Fitness Center on the first floor.[citation needed]

The Art/Tech Building is primarily used for Art and technology subjects as well as general classes. It is the third largest of the four buildings and has three levels with roomed numbers from 800 through 909. The first floor (800s) contain the visual arts classrooms, woodwork classrooms and the Arts and Technology Office. The second and third floors (900s) contain more woodwork classrooms as well as sewing rooms and the Careers Office. Lockers are also located within the 800s and 900s. A dedicated art classroom for VCE students was also constructed, above the existing 900s.[citation needed]

In conjunction with the University of Melbourne, a new dedicated academically selective science subschool/program was created for students in year 11 and 12, on space previously occupied by the university's Veterinary Science buildings. It is called Elizabeth Blackburn Sciences (EBS), named after a former student of University High School. Rooms in EBS are numbered from EB10 to EB24. The first floor (EB10s) consist of a lecture room (EB10), EBS Office, the main science laboratory and lockers. The second floor (EB20s) consist of general classrooms, another lecture room (EB20) as well as outdoor spaces and lockers. Prospective students looking to enrol in Elizabeth Blackburn Sciences must sit an entrance exam testing their knowledge in literacy, numeracy and science.[citation needed]

In 2021, portable classrooms were added to increase the school's capacity after the temporary closures of the South Building and the rising enrolment numbers. The portables are numbered from rooms 1001 through 1012.[14]

List of principals

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Name Period Notes
Leslie J. Wrigley 1910–1914
Matthew S. Sharman 1914 – 24 April 1941
Leslie R. Brookes 24 April 1941 – 1951
Robert E. Chapman 1952–1960
George W. Ellis 1961–1969
Gordon M. Williamson 1969 Retired
Graeme Hayter 1970–1971 Acting principal
Jack Clark 1972–1985
Peter D. A. Bryce 1986–1996
Bronwyn Valente 1997 – 1 April 2005 Retired before the end of the contract
Robert Newton 18 April 2005 – 18 September 2015
Heather Thompson 5 October 2015 – 2020 Retired
Noel Creece 2020 – June 2020 Acting Principal
Ciar Foster June 2020 – current

Notable alumni

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In 2001, University High was ranked tenth in Australia's top ten schools for the education of girls based on the number of female alumni in the Who's Who in Australia.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "School Profile". Profile. University High School. Archived from the original on 3 March 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "2022 Annual Report to the School Community" (PDF). Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  3. ^ "2024 Top Victoria High School Ranking | Which Is Best?". Retrieved 21 June 2024.
  4. ^ "Victoria High School Ranking [2024]: Which is the Best?". School Informer. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  5. ^ "The fast and the curious". The Age. Melbourne. 1 March 2004. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  6. ^ Plunkett, Margaret; Kronborg, Leonie (2007). "Gifted education in Australia: A story of striving for balance". Gifted Education International. 23 (1): 72–83. doi:10.1177/026142940702300109. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  7. ^ Kronborg, Leonie; Cornejo-Araya, Claudia A. (2018). "Gifted educational provisions for gifted and highly able students in Victorian schools, Australia". Universitas Psychologica. 17 (5): 1–14. doi:10.11144/Javeriana.upsy17-5.gepg. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Acceleration Program SEAL Year 7". University High School. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Any Studies Being Offered by a School". Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  10. ^ "National Top Public High Schools – 2009". Better Education.
  11. ^ "VCE and ATAR results day Victoria 2014". The Age. 15 December 2014.
  12. ^ "VCE Public School Ranking - 2021 - Better Education". Better Education. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Sub-schools". The University High School. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Building works update". The University High School. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  15. ^ Walker, Frank (22 July 2001). "The ties that bind". Sunday Life. The Sun-Herald. p. 16. Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2007.
  16. ^ Johnson, Brian (25 November 2011). "Norman Greenwood tells his life story (May 2011)". Web of Stories. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
  17. ^ Johnson, Natasha (25 April 2021). "ABC's Patricia Karvelas on her experience of Parliament's toxic 'sexist' culture and how a childhood tragedy shaped her". ABC Backstory. ABC. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Personal History". I'm Cornish, and very proud of it. It's where I live now.
  19. ^ "Hon Robert Clark (Box Hill)". Parliament of Victoria. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  20. ^ "Retirement – The Honourable Justice Julie Anne Dodds-Streeton". Victorian Bar. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  21. ^ "Re-Member (Former Members), Joan Elizabeth Kirner, AC". Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 17 October 2017.

Notes

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Further reading

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  • Hoy, Alice (1961). A City Built to Music. Parkville: University High School.
  • Rasmussen, Carolyn (2010). A Whole New World: 100 Years of Education at University High School. North Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing.
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